

Atlanta vs Charlotte
$82/mo more in Charlotte
AtlantaCharlotteAbout 228 miles apart, close enough to drive.
- Charlotte leaves you more
- Rent under 30% of pay
Same paycheck, two cities. $2,564/mo in Charlotte. $2,482/mo in Atlanta. +$984 a year.
Atlanta
$2,482
left each month
Charlotte
$2,564
+$82 vs Atlanta
Compare
Same paycheck, another city.
Next
In 2022-2023, 1,132 households moved Atlanta → Charlotte (avg AGI $84,107). 1,034 went the other way. The whole move →
+$82 / mo
See full breakdown
| Per month | Atlanta | Charlotte | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $7,875 | $7,719 | −$156 |
| Income and payroll tax | $1,993 | $1,873 | −$120 |
| Take-home pay | $5,882 | $5,846 | −$36 |
| Rent | $1,399 | $1,322 | −$77 |
| Getting around | $580 | $568 | −$12 |
| Groceries | $392 | $384 | −$8 |
| Healthcare | $441 | $432 | −$9 |
| Utilities | $245 | $240 | −$5 |
| Everything else | $343 | $336 | −$7 |
| Left over | $2,482 | $2,564 | +$82 |
Salary to match Atlanta
$91,000
Gross pay in Charlotte that leaves the same amount as $94,500 in Atlanta.
Tax difference
+$887
A year, in state and local income tax. Effective rates: 25.3% in Atlanta, 24.3% in Charlotte.
More about Charlotte
Atlanta, GA in full
Big-city pay at mid-market housing costs, with a 31-minute average commute.
Charlotte, NC in full
A banking hub with a 4.25% flat tax and mild winters.
The other way
Start in Charlotte.
Charlotte → Atlanta →Questions
Is the cost of living lower in Charlotte than Atlanta?
For one adult in a one-bedroom, Charlotte leaves about $82 more a month. A one-bedroom is about $1,399 in Atlanta and $1,322 in Charlotte.
Does Charlotte have state income tax?
Charlotte is in North Carolina, which taxes wage income.
What changes if you move from Atlanta to Charlotte?
The paycheck is taxed in North Carolina. Rent stays at the same bedroom count. What you keep is the difference.
Left over each month is take-home pay minus rent and the rest of the bills. The gap between Atlanta and Charlotte changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this · Leftover vs a COL index · Why a cheaper COL% can still lose leftover.
Estimate, not a quote. How we figure this.